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Unaccompanied Children

In February 2016, apprehensions by the Border Patrol on our southwest border – an indicator of total attempts to cross the border illegally – increased slightly from January, but remained substantially below the month-to-month numbers of apprehensions we saw in the latter part of 2015. The numbers of unaccompanied children and family members remained at the same levels as January, which is greatly reduced from the apprehension numbers at the end of 2015. The overall 10 percent increase from January is due to an increase in apprehensions of single adults, from 17,505 in January to 19,917 in February, 71.5 percent of whom are from Mexico. Notably, one year ago, in February 2015, the number of apprehensions of single adults was 19,950, and in February 2014 the number was 28,277.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) U.S. Border Patrol acting Chief Ronald Vitiello addresses the role of CBP in the care and placement of unaccompanied alien children who cross the Nation’s Southwest border.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Executive Associate Director Thomas Homan addresses ICE’s role in addressing issues related to unaccompanied children arriving in the United States.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Assistant Director of Field Operations Philip Miller reviews ICE’s role in addressing issues related to unaccompanied children arriving in the United States.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS ) Office of Policy (PLCY) Office of International Affairs Assistant Secretary and Chief Diplomatic Officer Alan Bersin addresses the root causes of Central American migration to the United States.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Policy (PLCY) Assistant Secretary and Chief Diplomatic Officer Alan Bersin addresses the root causes of Central American migration to the United States